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Comeback Kid
Location: Desert Springs, Arizona Date: November 10, 1989 Story On the night of November 10, 1989 in Desert Springs, Arizona, Rev. Don Jeanson was overseeing a youth group camp in front of Desert Springs Community Church where he was Senior Pastor. His twelve-year-old daughter, Susanna, was sharing a tent with a group of girls her age including Beth Edel. "We were looking at pictures of all my friends. Even though it was late, we were all wide awake," said Beth. Around 11pm, Don gathered the group together for a walk through the neighborhood. "We were on this hike on the small residential street. It was a nice night. It was quiet. I just felt that everything was under control," said Don. Susanna and her brother, Jeremy, were both playing kick the can in the street. All of the sudden, a car hit Susanna leaving her pinned beneath it. "I felt my life pass before me. And under my breath I said, 'Oh no, not my daughter, not my daughter.' I just didn't know how she could fit between the engine and the pavement. There wasn't any room for her. I felt sure that she was dead," said Don. "I couldn't get to her. I could barely tell whether or not she was breathing. I felt like I should do something," said Beth. Don called his wife, Diana, from the scene of the accident. "All I heard was these sirens and he was screaming over the top. Nothing in your whole life can prepare you for these kinds of feelings," said Diana. Within less than two minutes, Glendale Fire Units got to the scene including paramedic Armando Hernandez. "When we saw her legs under the vehicle I asked to dispatch a helicopter. We know she had a serious head injury," said Armando. Susanna had a lot of blood in her mouth and did not respond at all. "At that time I could smell some flesh burning. Her arm was pinned against the exhaust pipe and that was what was burning," said Armando. The driver who hit her went to get a floor jack from his house two blocks away. "The firemen actually got under the car with my daughter. I couldn't watch anymore. I didn't want to believe that tragedy like this could actually strike my family. It just seemed impossible," said Don. Susanna arrived at St. Joseph's Hospital within 40 minutes. "She was in shock, cold and gritting her teeth. She didn't recognize me at all. That was the last time I saw her conscious," said Diana. Among those treating her was nurse Steve Nelson. "She was bleeding throughout her body and we replaced her blood volume at least two times," said Steve. A young doctor sat her family down and explained that they couldn't do anything for her. "We all joined hands and then the doctor told us that the bleeding had stopped. We just knew it was a miracle," said Don. Susanna had broken more than half a dozen major bones and suffered severe head trauma in the accident. Over the next couple of days, her condition deteriorated and she was put in a drug induced coma. During her surgery, the neurosurgeon left out a large piece of her skull to allow her brain to swell. "Her brain was swollen so much. They couldn't put the piece of her skull back on," said Diana. Every day, her family came to see her. But during the following week, her condition continued to worsen. The neurosurgeon told them there was a procedure that might be used to drain the excess fluid on her brain. But it was very dangerous. If it failed, she could die instantly. Her organs began to shut down so Dr. Bob Graham only gave her days to live. Susanna remained in a coma for more than two months. Three separate times, her heart stopped beating and she had to be revived. "A tiny bit of purple nail polish reminded me of Susanna," said Diana. On January 8, 1990, Don and Diana spent an extra long time in the ICU with Susanna. On the morning of January 9, her nurse, Darlene, called and told them that she opened her eyes and just started watching her work. "We could hardly get dressed fast enough to go down there. She mouthed the words, 'Hi Mom.' She had recognition in her eyes. It was like your daughter had been reborn," said Diana. "It's like the greatest dream you could ever have came true," said Don. Tests revealed that Susanna's brain was still functioning normally. But she faced months of painful physical, occupational, and speech therapy to relearn everything. "By the end of April, Susanna was able to take some steps," said Diana. She cried and hugged her. She spent seven months in the hospital recovering from her massive internal injuries and many broken bones. It's been two years since the accident. And except for some weakness in her lungs, she continues to develop like any other fourteen-year-old. "I felt like I was able to walk. It was really a big accomplishment to me," said Susanna. "Sometimes I think that it should have been me so she wouldn't have to go through it. I feel a lot closer to her," said Jeremy. "I'm very grateful for all the work the doctors, nurses, and my friends have done for me," said Susanna. She even became friends with Steve Nelson. "She's been through death and knows what life is all about," said Don. Category:1989 Category:Arizona Category:Crush Injuries Category:Head Traumas Category:Motor-Vehicle Accidents